Improvement in rotary engines



ROTARY ENGINE.

Patented Jan. Z, 1877.

N. PEYERS, FHDTO-UTHOGRAPHER. wAsmNGmN D C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

SQURE R. CLEVELAND, OF WINNEGONNE, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN ROTARV ENGINES.

Speoification forming part of Letters Patent No. l85,850, dated January 2,1877; application filed September 9, 1876.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, SQUIRE R. GLEVELAND, of Winneconne, Winnebago county, Wisconsin, have invented Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is the specification:

Myinvention relates to improvements in that class of rotary engines in which the steam acts upon the projecting vanes or pistons of disks to impart rotation to the latter; and my invention consists in arranging the parts, as fully described hereat'ter, to simplify the const'nction, reduce the cost of manufacture, obtain as great a percentage of power as possible, and insure certainty of operation.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a sectional elevation of sufficient of a rotary engine to exhibit myimprovements. Fig.2 is a section on the line 1 2, Fig. 1 and. Fig. 3, a perspective view, showing the working parts of the engine.

The caseA of the engine consists of theshell or body a, and two detachable sides or heads, b b', a partition, c, dividing the case into two separate circular chanbers adapted to receive circular disks B B' secured to a transverse shaft, O, and two smaller chambers, within which fit nicely, but so as to rotate freely, two abutments, E E', secured to the same transverse sha-ft F. The faces of the disks B and abutments E are turned perfectly true, and are in steam-tight contact with each other, as shown, and from the faces of the disks project pins e, which enter corresponding recesses i in the abutments, and insure rotation at the same peripheral speed, the ahutments being one-half the diameter of the disks, and rotating twice to the single rotation of each disk. The pins are arranged in two series, and alternate, so that only one pin will be upon the line of contact between the disk and abtment at one time, and preventing the passage of steam between the two.

Each disk is smaller in diameter than the chamber in which it rotates, leaving an annular space or channel, w, closed transversely at the top by thelower portion of the abutments E, and into this chamber extend, from the periphery of the disk, two vanes or pistons, d d', diametrically opposite each other. Each abutment has a transverse recess, f, of such a shape that the pistons will extend into and maintain a steamtight contact with the sides thereof as the disk and abutment revolve, and the disks and abutments are so adjusted on their shafts that the pistons of one disk are midway between those of the other, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1. In the casing, near the top, and on each side of the abutments, are inlet-ports s s', leading to the channels x, and in the heads, at the lowest point opposite said Channels, are eXhaust-ports t t'. suitable valves and cut-ofi' mechanism are employed to admit steam to one or other of the openings s s', according to the direction in which the engine is to revolve.

The parts being in the position shown in the drawing, and steam being adinitted to the openings s, Fig. 1, it will enter both channels m, between the ahutments E E' and the pistons d of each disk, and will compel the rotation of the latter in the direction ot' the arrow 1. Before the piston d of the disk B is opposite the exit-port t the steam will be cut off, and will exhaust through said port after the piston passes it, the steam still acting with full force upon the piston d of the disk-B', and beginning to act on the piston d' of the disk B, which piston is received by the recess in the abutment E as the piston d passes the exhaustport. A similar action ensues as the piston d of the disk B' passes the exhaust t, and the piston d' entel-s the recess of the abutment E', a practically-continuous pressure ot' steam being thus maintained upon two pistons traversing in the same direction, and secured to the same shaft. The teeth and recesses at the peripheries ot' the disks and abutments insure that absolute unison of movement which is necessary for the successful operation of the engine, avoiding the weight, expense, and space of outside gearing, which, however, may be used.

It will be seen that the arrangement described reduces the number ot'parts to a minimum, avoiding complex and expensive details, and requiring only those parts which are of a character to be readily constructed with that nicety requisite in this class of machinery.

I am aware that two disks, each with a single piston in line with that of the other, have been combined with two rotating recessed cylinders of equal size, and that a single disk and single cylinder, geared together, have been used and I make no claim to this principle of operation, my invention consisting of improvements in this class of engines intended to efl'ect the results before specified. I am also aware that the disk and abutment have been provided with teeth neshing into and causing them to turn together.

I claim- 1. The combination of the casing A, its two independent chambers, outlet and inlet ports s t, arranged as set forth, the disks B B', each carrying two pistons arranged equidistant from each other, those on one disk being midway between those of the other, and the rotating abutments E E' secnred to the same shaft, having recesses f diametrically opposite each other, and rotated positiveiy in unison with the disks, but at double the speed of the lat-` SQUIRE REED GLEVELAND.

Witnesses:

CHABLES E. FOSTEB, WILLIAM L. BRAMEALL. 

